Sunday, December 6
1:05 pm
Montana State University
vs
Omaha
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcats Host High-Scoring Omaha Sunday in Lone December Home Game
12/4/2015 7:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MSU guard duo Marcus Colbert, Tyler Hall ready to roll in Worthington Arena
After four straight games against teams that scored points at a conventional rate, Montana State runs into an altogether different entity when the University of Nebraska Omaha visits Bozeman on Sunday afternoon.
"It's impressive how quick and how easy they can score," Bobcat coach Brian Fish says of the Mavericks (3-4), who last played MSU in 1946. Omaha's last visit to Bozeman came December 17-18, 1940, when Romney Gym was less than two decades old an already most males in the Montana State student body busied themselves with military preparation for something not yet called World War II. "They can get 95 on you in a hurry and not even look like it."
Tipoff for Sunday's contest is 1:05 pm in Worthington Arena. It is Montana State's only December home game.
UNO's offensive ability impresses Fish. The team averages 86.9 points a game, 20th-most in Division I. Sophomore forward Tre'Shawn Thurman (6-7, 230) averages 16.3 points a game, and leads a trio who contribute at least 13 points a game. Forward Jake White (6-8, 235, sr.) chips in 16.0 points a game, while Devin Patterson, a 5-11, 160 lb senior, adds 13.1.
The Mavericks apply the individual offensive components effectively, averaging 86.9 points a game – they raced past Big Sky member Northern Colorado 105-85 on November 25 then scored 90 points in a three-point loss at Minnesota two days later – and play at the fourth-fastest tempo in Division I (averaging 78.2 possessions per game). UNO shoots 45.3% from the field, 30.4% from three-point range, and average nearly 20 made free throws per game while shooting 73.3% from the line.
While Omaha grabs headlines for work at the offensive end, Fish lauds its defense. "Their ability to swipe the ball from the help defender is very impressive," he said. "I like their speed, I like their aggressiveness, and they're well-coached." The team's defensive prowess begins with a pair of local products. Tra-Deon Hollins' 4.1 steals per game leads the nation, while Thurman has blocked eight shots in the team's seven games, and paces the squad with 8.0 rebounds an outing.
Fish looks at his 4-3 squad as one making strides, but not where he envisions it getting. "We need to play consistently hard for longer periods of time," he said. "We dodged a bullet Tuesday at Utah Valley, where we didn't bring it the whole game. We've got to shrink the amount of time we're not playing locked in. If we do we'll be a better basketball team quicker." The Cats beat UVU 76-72.
Fish and the Bobcats welcome back sophomore forward Quinn Price, who is available Sunday after missing the last four months with an injury, but MSU's second-year head coach continues to look for depth as he builds his personnel rotations. "I'm feeling pretty good about seven guys. I've got seven or eight guys identified that I know what they can do and how many minutes they can give us. But we're two short of where we need to be if we're going to be a threat in March. We need 10 guys to play extended minutes, and we're not there yet."
Fish's good feelings start when evaluating the backcourt. Senior Marcus Colbert is fifth in the Big Sky in scoring at 17.0 points a game, and seventh in assists (4.0). Freshman Tyler Hall is already among the most productive Bobcat freshmen ever just seven games into his college career, with a pair of 25-point games and a 16.1 ppg average.
After Sunday's matinee, the Bobcats head out on a long odyssey. The team plays at San Jose State on Sunday, December 13, then visits North Dakota State (Dec. 16), Buffalo (Dec. 19), and Syracuse (Dec. 22). After Christmas break, the Cats open Big Sky play at Southern Utah (Dec. 31) and NAU (Jan. 2) before reintroducing themselves to Worthington Arena on January 7, when Sacramento State visits.
Purchase tickets for Sunday's game at msubobcats.com.
"It's impressive how quick and how easy they can score," Bobcat coach Brian Fish says of the Mavericks (3-4), who last played MSU in 1946. Omaha's last visit to Bozeman came December 17-18, 1940, when Romney Gym was less than two decades old an already most males in the Montana State student body busied themselves with military preparation for something not yet called World War II. "They can get 95 on you in a hurry and not even look like it."
Tipoff for Sunday's contest is 1:05 pm in Worthington Arena. It is Montana State's only December home game.
UNO's offensive ability impresses Fish. The team averages 86.9 points a game, 20th-most in Division I. Sophomore forward Tre'Shawn Thurman (6-7, 230) averages 16.3 points a game, and leads a trio who contribute at least 13 points a game. Forward Jake White (6-8, 235, sr.) chips in 16.0 points a game, while Devin Patterson, a 5-11, 160 lb senior, adds 13.1.
The Mavericks apply the individual offensive components effectively, averaging 86.9 points a game – they raced past Big Sky member Northern Colorado 105-85 on November 25 then scored 90 points in a three-point loss at Minnesota two days later – and play at the fourth-fastest tempo in Division I (averaging 78.2 possessions per game). UNO shoots 45.3% from the field, 30.4% from three-point range, and average nearly 20 made free throws per game while shooting 73.3% from the line.
While Omaha grabs headlines for work at the offensive end, Fish lauds its defense. "Their ability to swipe the ball from the help defender is very impressive," he said. "I like their speed, I like their aggressiveness, and they're well-coached." The team's defensive prowess begins with a pair of local products. Tra-Deon Hollins' 4.1 steals per game leads the nation, while Thurman has blocked eight shots in the team's seven games, and paces the squad with 8.0 rebounds an outing.
Fish looks at his 4-3 squad as one making strides, but not where he envisions it getting. "We need to play consistently hard for longer periods of time," he said. "We dodged a bullet Tuesday at Utah Valley, where we didn't bring it the whole game. We've got to shrink the amount of time we're not playing locked in. If we do we'll be a better basketball team quicker." The Cats beat UVU 76-72.
Fish and the Bobcats welcome back sophomore forward Quinn Price, who is available Sunday after missing the last four months with an injury, but MSU's second-year head coach continues to look for depth as he builds his personnel rotations. "I'm feeling pretty good about seven guys. I've got seven or eight guys identified that I know what they can do and how many minutes they can give us. But we're two short of where we need to be if we're going to be a threat in March. We need 10 guys to play extended minutes, and we're not there yet."
Fish's good feelings start when evaluating the backcourt. Senior Marcus Colbert is fifth in the Big Sky in scoring at 17.0 points a game, and seventh in assists (4.0). Freshman Tyler Hall is already among the most productive Bobcat freshmen ever just seven games into his college career, with a pair of 25-point games and a 16.1 ppg average.
After Sunday's matinee, the Bobcats head out on a long odyssey. The team plays at San Jose State on Sunday, December 13, then visits North Dakota State (Dec. 16), Buffalo (Dec. 19), and Syracuse (Dec. 22). After Christmas break, the Cats open Big Sky play at Southern Utah (Dec. 31) and NAU (Jan. 2) before reintroducing themselves to Worthington Arena on January 7, when Sacramento State visits.
Purchase tickets for Sunday's game at msubobcats.com.
Players Mentioned
Thursday, March 03
Friday, November 05
Monday, November 01
Sunday, October 31
